FCC announces ‘Pledge America Campaign’ as part of Trump admin’s 250th anniversary celebration

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is launching a campaign encouraging broadcasters across the country to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.

In a press release obtained by Fox News Digital, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the beginning of the Pledge America Campaign in coordination with President Donald Trump’s Task Force 250 as part of the country’s commemoration of the nation’s milestone birthday this year.

“Consistent with their longstanding public interest obligations, America’s broadcasters play a key role in educating, informing, and entertaining viewers and listeners all across America, and they are particularly well suited to air programming that is responsive to the needs and interests of their local communities,” the FCC said.

The agency continued, “The Pledge America Campaign enables broadcasters to lend their voices in support of Task Force 250 and the celebration of America’s 250th birthday by airing patriotic, pro-America content that celebrates the American journey and inspires its citizens by highlighting the historic accomplishments of this great nation from our founding through the Trump Administration today.”

“I am calling on broadcasters to pledge to provide programming that promotes civic education, national pride, and our shared history,” Carr said in a statement.

“Broadcasters are uniquely positioned to help address these concerning developments by providing programming that celebrates the remarkable story of American Independence while also tailoring it to the specific needs of their local communities, in furtherance of their public interest obligations.”

Carr cited “Schoolhouse Rock!” as a well-known example that would be a fit for the Pledge America Campaign and listed several suggestions for what broadcasters can do, including:

• Running PSAs, short segments, or full specials specifically promoting civic education, inspiring local stories and American history.
• Including segments during regular news programming that highlight local sites that are significant to American and regional history, such as National Park Service sites.
• Starting each broadcast day with “The Star Spangled Banner” or Pledge of Allegiance.
• Airing music by America’s greatest composers, such as John Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland, Duke Ellington or George Gershwin.
• Providing daily “Today in American History” announcements highlighting significant events that took place on that day in history.
• Partnering with community organizations and other groups that are already working hard to bring America’s stories of unity, perseverance and triumph to light.

While the FCC stresses that it is optional for broadcasters to participate in the Pledge America Campaign, Carr expresses hope that they showcase America’s “inspiring history” he says would fulfill their “public interest mandate to serve the needs and interests of their local communities.”